From Something to Celebrate…Janet and Keith dreamed of having a wedding that reflected who they were as a couple. Many of their first dates were outdoors so selecting The Courtyard on St. James as the backdrop of their summer evening wedding was an easy choice. They envisioned a wedding that conveyed a timeless, intimate and laid-back atmosphere, with an abundance of unique textures and candles, and neutral hues serving as the color scheme.

The couple values their respective family heritages so it was important to honor their culture on their wedding day as well. Both Janet and Keiths parents immigrated to the United States as refugees during the Khmer Rouge. During their wedding, the two performed a Sand Ceremony where Keith brought back Cambodian soil and ashes, which came from burial grounds of those who died during the war. This heartfelt moment was symbolic to the couple as they gave tribute to their family history while looking forward to their future.

At one point in the couples relationship, they dated long distance overseas, which led to quite a bit of traveling back and forth. To continue to tie in different chapters of their story, they asked their photographer to incorporate elements of travel into their photo booth. There were vintage suitcases and paper airplanes strung up as a backdrop for picture taking guests.

Among Janets favorite memories of her wedding day was when she stood in the foyer as the ceremony began. Music was playing and the wedding procession started to make their way down the aisle. At that moment, Janet was overwhelmed with emotions and thrilled with excitement to marry her best friend.

When asked to share advice for future brides, Janet highly recommended a wedding planner to help make the planning process easier as it can be overwhelming when being bombarded by a variety of wedding ideas. Janet also stresses the importance of keeping your day personalized to you and your husband-to-be and the love you share for one another.